TV3 And Four Grow Primetime Audience In June

Tuesday, 5 July, 2011

TV3 And Four Grow Primetime Audience In June,

Other Free-To-Air Channels Shed Viewers

A month of strong performance has seen TV3 and FOUR buck the trend to grow peak ratings and share in the key 18-49 and 25-54 demographics, compared with May. The MediaWorks stable mates were the only Free-to-Air channels to enjoy audience growth this month; TV ONE and TV2 have both shed primetime viewers since May.

The peak share for a television channel benchmarks the channel against its competitors by measuring the share of primetime (6pm-10.30pm) television viewers captured by a particular channel.

In June, TV3's peak channel share in the target 25-54 demographic hit a 2011 high, growing by 3.4% since May to 21.3, while TV ONE lost ground, dropping its 25-54 peak share by 6.6% to 22.5.

Top-rating TV3 programmes this month include early evening audience drivers 3 News and Campbell Live, both of which had very strong months, and the highly successful launch of Cycle Three of local reality series New Zealand's Next Top Model.

FOUR achieved its highest ever peak monthly share of the 18-49 audience with 6.3, a 10.5% compared with the May 2011 figures, and a 26% year-on-year increase (compared with the equivalent May 2010 C4 figures). TV2's primetime share fell by 4.5% in 18-49, and 5.3% in TV2's target demographic of 18-39, compared with May 2011.

Highlights for FOUR in June include the Thursday night animation line-up recently relaunched as Outrageous FOUR Tunes, and Monday night's Rules of Engagement and How I Met Your Mother.

MediaWorks Group Managing Director Sussan Turner says by the June results are a terrific outcome for the company's new two-channel strategy, which saw C4 relaunched as 18-49-friendly channel FOUR in February 2011, and TV3's target demographic shift to 25-54.

"We are delighted by the performance of our primetime schedule across the two channels." Turner says. "It is very satisfying for the whole team to see the two-channel strategy paying off.

"Top Model continues to go from strength to strength, while FOUR has already built an impressive following for its entertainment offerings.

"3 News and Campbell Live have again led the way in covering breaking news. Campbell Live's efforts in getting to the heart of the issues arising from the multiple earthquakes in Christchurch have been recognised by the wider community and both 3News and Campbell led coverage of the 'Alasdair Thompson Affair. 3 News was the only News service to mount a special programme on Te Tai Tokerau on the night of the by-election.

"From Monday, you will have noticed updated 3 News graphics on air and online." Turner adds. "These are designed to bring a fresh, new look to all our news programmes. This investment in new imagery is further evidence of our commitment to being New Zealand's leading news organisation."

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